Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-04-07
THE ARMORED RAM.
AN EXPERT DECLARES IT TO BE
THE COMING VESSEL.


and the Great Advantages 1t Would
Possess Over Other Kinds Of Plated
War Ships.
"If the limit in size has probably been
reached in the construction Of the guns
that throw q projectile weighing ton,
and if the limit in armor has probably
been reached in the vessels that measure
its thickness by the foot, and if the ut
most limit Of speed in the unarmored
cruisers with present engines is likely to
be about twenty-one knots, as you say,
what will be the next thing for govern
ments to construct for use in war at seaH"
asked a reporter who had been talking
with a naval officer about modern war
ships.
"Armored rams" he replied. ''The
ram has been neglected for years in the
race for superiority between armor and
guns, but the usefulness of an armored
ram in defending port against the at
tacks of an enemy must soon attract at
tention once more, and then we will have
a discussion on the proper model and
power to be given such vessel"
AN ERRONEOUS BELIEF.
'sIt is commonly believed that all mod
ern war vessels are built with bows con-
structed strong enough to ram an enemy"
was suggested.
eyes, but the belief is for the most part
erroneous. 1t is true that the lines of the
stems of the ships project out to a sharp
angle below the water line, and that the
plates and framing thereabouts are
stronger than in other parts of the ship.
If one of these ships should happen to hit
bow on another one in the side it would
probably make hole in her, but there is
every reason to believe that the vessel
striking would be about as seriously dam
aged as the vessel struck, particularly
if the latter were running at full speed
when struck. The attacking vessel would
get its nose twisted off, and perhaps she
would be rolled clear over just as the coal
schooner was that rammed the Oregon.
Neither the unarmored cruiser nor the
heavy armored harbor defense war ship is
adapted for ram. The cruiser is not strong
enough for one thing and has not beam
enough for another. Besides, o big shell
from the enemy would destroy her before
she got gear enough toram The armored
war ship is SO big and unwieldy that she
could only hope to ram an enemy through
piece of good luck. The shape of the
bows of these vessels is all wrong for
ramming. AS 1 said, the ram on them is
simply knuckle joint in the stem. A
cross section through this part of the ves-
sci would show that it was much better
adapted to stand strain above or below
than from either side. Now O ram must
needs stand o vertical strain, for in sea-
way, as she and the enemy pitched and
rolled about, the ram would be apt to
plunge down into the enemy's side with o
meat axe stroke, but it must be remem-
bered that the enemy is sure to be in mo-
ton, probably going ahead at full speed
and that the side wrench that she give the
ram would be much more disastrous than
any resistance of her side plating. 1t is
difficult for landsman to conceive the
awful strain which the ram would receive
as the two vessels rolled and plunged to-
gether in o seaway.
A RAMS PROPER FORM.
'The proper form for the bow of q ram
is q modification of a duck BILL wider than
it is deep, with stout but sharp edges on
each side. Then as the enemy rushed by,
dragging the ram along with her, the
broad nose of the ram would simply rip
the whole side out of the strongest ship
made, and she'd sink like lead with her
next roll. The destructive force of pro-
jectile weighing ton, when moving with
an initial velocity of 1000 feet, is awful,
but the power of projectile weighing
5000 tons moving at twenty-one knots an
hour is almost infinitely greater. The
shot may miss the mark, so may the ram;
but the ram is an animated projectile that
can try and try again"
But where would the ram be if the
enemy's ton projectile struck it?'
Right on its way for the enemy. A
well built ram would expose only steel
turtle back above the water. This could
be made so thick that it would resist any
projectile, particularly as the projectile
must necessarily strike it at such an angel
as to glance off. The ram would not be
safe from attack beyond peradventure,
but its chances of coming out of conflict
uninjured would be much more numerous
than those of any other form of vessel.
She would have no gun turrets nor other
exposed or angular parts to stop pro-
jectile. A torpedo might reach her, but
the chances would be against that De-
signed only for coast defense, the ram
would need to carry but small amount
Of coal. She would not be numbered up
with guns and their attendant machinery
and ammunition. Her sole mission is to
run rapidly and to turn quickly, so as to
keep bow on to the enemy. She would
have to be broad enough to give stability
to carry the weight Of her steel deck and
to carry powerful engines and screws She
would be cheap to build, safe to handle,
and thoroughly effective in time of battle.
We ought to begin to discuss the plans of
new ram, to be built for use solely as a
ram. New York Sun.